Capital

Language

Currency

Livestock Placed

Tools of Transformation

In spite of the effort that the government of Zambia is putting into place to ensure economic growth, the incidence of poverty in Zambia still remains high.

State of the African Farmer

The State of the African Farmer report has been produced as a contribution to the great debate on agriculture and food security in Africa. It is a compilation of views and voices of farmers, practitioners, policymakers and academics across Africa and beyond, each speaking from the heart and sharing their experience.

Country Overview

Zambia is a socially, culturally and politically stable and peaceful country. It has an environment that is conducive to enabling both local and international non-governmental organizations to work efficiently and effectively. The political environment is favorable for agricultural development, as the government has made it one of their top developmental priorities. In order to strengthen the livestock sector, the government has established disease free zones to facilitate the import and export of livestock and livestock products. The government is in the process of establishing an anti gender-based violence act that will ensure the protection of women, men and children and afford them equal opportunities in the nation’s development agenda.

Twashuka Women’s Group community meeting.

However, in spite of the effort that the government of Zambia is putting into place to ensure economic growth, the incidence of poverty in Zambia still remains high. Economic growth has not been pro-poor; for instance the economic growth rate from the agriculture sector where most of the poor participate continues to be low. Poverty in Zambia manifests itself through high unemployment rates and limited access to social services, such as education, health, water and productive resources, like land and capital. Extreme poverty is at 51 percent with higher rates in rural areas (67 percent). Urban poverty is at 20 percent.

Heifer Zambia

Heifer International started operating in Zambia in 1986 through the Christian Council Of Zambia (CCZ). In 1997, Heifer International registered with the government of Zambia as an independent NGO. A number of projects were initiated throughout the nine provinces of the country with livestock inputs ranging from draft cattle, poultry and goats.

Heifer Zambia works in collaboration with relevant partners to empower needy but viable communities to achieve dignified sustainable livelihoods through capacity building in integrated agriculture, enterprise development, gender equity, good governance, providing appropriate livestock and other resources while mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and climate change.

Two of Heifer’s programs from South Africa, Heifer Malawi and Heifer Zambia, have won grants totaling a combined $5.3 million. The four grants will help contribute to the success of multiple programs within those countries as well as supporting smallholder farmers.

Meet James Kasongo, Heifer's Country Director from Zambia. "My most memorable moment with Heifer thus far has been when I witnessed a POG ceremony for the first time. It was such a moving moment for me."

In 2008, Linus and Leston Mugala had just found out they would soon be part of a Heifer project. The Mugala’s were so poor and undernourished that Linus feared for her children’s lives. But five years later, things are much different for the family.